2024 Speakers, Day 2 – Communities

Keynote Showcase 2024
Day 1
Day 2
At A Glance
Jay Bassett

Jay Bassett

Past-Chair
National Recycling Coalition
Elizabeth Balkan

Elizabeth Balkan

Director, North America
Reloop
Aditi (Adi) Varshneya

Aditi (Adi) Varshneya

Network Development Manager
GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives)
Ainara Calahorra Romillo

Ainara Calahorra Romillo

Founder and Maker
MuXu Creations
Hayden Sloan

Hayden Sloan

Strategic Director of Communications
Race to Zero Waste
Bianca Lopez

Bianca Lopez

Co-Founder/Project Director
Valley Improvement Projects
Daniela Ochoa González

Daniela Ochoa González

Founder
Regenerative Solutions
CJ O'Brien Weddle

CJ O’Brien Weddle

Ocean Friendly Programs Manager
The Surfrider Foundation
Atiq Zaman

Atiq Zaman

Associate Professor
Curtin University
Nathan Alley

Nathan Alley

Conservation Program Coordinator
Sierra Club
Zach Shaben

Zach Shaben

Public Affairs Manager - US & Canada
Too Good To Go
JoAnn Gemenden

JoAnn Gemenden

Executive Director
NJ Clean Communities
Kathi Mirza

Kathi Mirza

Branch Chief, Municipal Waste Reduction Program
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
KT Morelli

KT Morelli

Organizer
Breathe Free Detroit
Kirstie Pecci

Kirstie Pecci

Executive Director
Just Zero
Neil Tangri, Ph.D.

Neil Tangri, Ph.D.

Science and Policy Director
GAIA Global
David Merrill

David Merrill

Project Director
Climate North Star
Jenna Deane

Jenna Deane

Program Director
Sustainable Connections
Madeline Kaufman

Madeline Kaufman

Program Director
Debris Free Oceans
Youpa Stein

Youpa Stein

Organizer
MT Plastic Free
Erin Girard

Erin Girard

Waste Diversion Outreach & Technical Specialist
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Richard Ramcharitar

Richard Ramcharitar

Lead Organizer
Broward Clean Air
Annette Poliwka

Annette Poliwka

Board Member
League to Save Lake Tahoe (aka, Keep Tahoe Blue)
Daniella Menendez

Daniella Menendez

Outreach Coordinator
Race to Zero Waste
Carla Daniela

Carla Daniela

Wedding Dress Tailor
Tailor Love
Marilee Movius

Marilee Movius

Senior Community Engagement Manager
League to Save Lake Tahoe / Keep Tahoe Blue
Teresa Bradley

Teresa Bradley

CEO
Race to Zero Waste
Romi Rossel

Romi Rossel

Co-Founder & Marketing Director
The Bountiful Bag
Amanda Rice Waddle

Amanda Rice Waddle

Director of Zero Waste
The Repurpose Project
Katie Fitzhugh

Katie Fitzhugh

Interim Executive Director & Director of Deconstruction
Re:Purpose Savannah
Margaret Rachel

Margaret Rachel

Founder
Climate Conscious Generation
Erica Jung

Erica Jung

Co-Founder
DegrowNYC
Jeremy Drake

Jeremy Drake

Principal
Strategy Zero Waste Solutions
Nora Goldstein

Nora Goldstein

Editor
BioCycle
Nena Shaw

Nena Shaw

Director
Resource Conservation & Sustainability Division, US EPA
Samuel McMullen

Samuel McMullen

Executive Director
ZeroWaste.Org
Richard Anthony

Richard Anthony

President
Zero Waste International Alliance
Simone Chhut

Simone Chhut

Zero Waste Specialist
Nashville Waste Services
Adrian Hernandez

Adrian Hernandez

Chair & Acting Executive Director
State of Texas Alliance for Recycling
Emin Israfil

Emin Israfil

CEO
Rubbish
Claudia Rodriguez-Biezunski

Claudia Rodriguez-Biezunski

Textile Artist
Sew Loka
Steve Jewett

Steve Jewett

Founder
Clean Trails / National CleanUp Day
Jamala Djinn, Ph.D.

Jamala Djinn, Ph.D.

Policy Advisor
Break Free From Plastic
Macy Zander

Macy Zander

Local Reuse Manager
Upstream
Sophie Hague

Sophie Hague

Founder
Positive Phee
Stacy Savage

Stacy Savage

Founder & CEO
Zero Waste Strategies LLC
Melissa Mello

Melissa Mello

Owner
Material Happiness
Sherry Bell Surrette, Ph.D.

Sherry Bell Surrette, Ph.D.

Associate Extension Professor
Mississippi State University
Jenn Harrman

Jenn Harrman

Zero Waste Program Manager
Metro Nashville Waste Services
Stephanie Phillips

Stephanie Phillips

Senior Manager, Deconstruction & Circular Economy
City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation
Gary Liss

Gary Liss

Principal
Zero Waste Associates
Fernando Gabriel Ramírez

Fernando Gabriel Ramírez

Founding Member
Fundación Héroes del Medio Ambiente
Sedat Gundogdu

Sedat Gundogdu

Prof. Dr.
Çukurova University/Microplastic Research Group
Dennis Uyat

Dennis Uyat

Program Committee
Zero Waste USA
MacKenzie Marcelin

MacKenzie Marcelin

Climate Justice Director
Florida Rising
Ruth Abbe

Ruth Abbe

President
Zero Waste USA
Apurva Singh

Apurva Singh

Researcher
Metabolic